Best Buy v Circuit City. Where should I go?

**ejames7** · 06-15-2008, 10:57 PM

I emailed a buddy of mine with a V1 and she said he had his hard wired by some place out by him in CO and they did a good job. I then emailed another buddy of mine with a RX65 and he said he his cousin had his V1 hardwired in his MB at best Buy for $20. I figured if I were to DIY it I would spend more than that on a smart cord and have to do it myself or a little less on a regular cord which is what they use I'm sure.

Your thoughts? I have done a lot of stuff on my car but for whatever reason this one does not feel right like I am going to mess something up. I like to DIY whatever I can which is weird I am having a feeling on this one...

**fordmustang** · 06-15-2008, 11:04 PM

Originally Posted by ejames7

I emailed a buddy of mine with a V1 and she said he had his hard wired by some place out by him in CO and they did a good job. I then emailed another buddy of mine with a RX65 and he said he his cousin had his V1 hardwired in his MB at best Buy for $20. I figured if I were to DIY it I would spend more than that on a smart cord and have to do it myself or a little less on a regular cord which is what they use I'm sure.

Your thoughts? I have done a lot of stuff on my car but for whatever reason this one does not feel right like I am going to mess something up. I like to DIY whatever I can which is weird I am having a feeling on this one...

when i had my rx65 i went to cc and they did a pretty good job i think it was 50 with the hardwire kit to

**Jarus187** · 06-15-2008, 11:47 PM

Wow only 20$. Best Buy up here in ALberta quoted me 150$ for a radar detector hardwire. Thats when I ended up doing it myself for 15$ (cost of the Add-a-Circuit). I have a DIY video in my sig if you wanna see how easy it is.

**bnguyen** · 06-15-2008, 11:55 PM

Originally Posted by Jarus187

Wow only 20$. Best Buy up here in ALberta quoted me 150$ for a radar detector hardwire. Thats when I ended up doing it myself for 15$ (cost of the Add-a-Circuit). I have a DIY video in my sig if you wanna see how easy it is.

Its sad that some stores are that ridiculous. I work at Best Buy. I used to work in Mobile Electronics and a radar hardwire is $30. A smart cord is another $30 but thats optional.I did mine myself but I would have had the guys at my store do it unless they were the store above. The reason why they probably quoted you so much was because they did not know how to do it. All stores are MECP certified but some stores only know how to install decks. I would ask them honestly how comfortable they are with it.

**ejames7** · 06-16-2008, 12:34 AM

Thanks for all the replies guys. Loved the video too. Where did you get that circuit at? I would feel a lot more comfortable doing it that way. Only thing is the closest fuse box is under the pass side dash. I will double check on some schematics though if I go the DIY route.

It feels better having someone at Best Buy reply! A buddy I went to school with worked there and I was going to text him and see what he said.

I will call in the morning. Thanks again for the help!

**thestaton** · 06-16-2008, 06:49 AM

Get the $12.00 Escort Hardwire Kit. Then take it to Best Buy it should be $25.00 bucks.

**focalcivic** · 06-16-2008, 07:50 AM

In the video section, there are a few posts. With an add a fuse it is easy as plugging in a fuse.

**ejames7** · 06-16-2008, 09:45 PM

Thanks for all the help everyone.

Tonight I called Best Buy and the guy said that it would be $30 to hardwire and said it would be $30 for the smart cord and if I didn't want that he said it was $7/8 for a regular phone card.

Is that all they use is a regular phone cord? I have a bunch of those here if so. I actually have one in the car I was going to practice run. I wasn't sure if you could run 12V through one of those?

TIA,

**djrams80** · 06-16-2008, 10:04 PM

Originally Posted by ejames7

Thanks for all the help everyone.

Tonight I called Best Buy and the guy said that it would be $30 to hardwire and said it would be $30 for the smart cord and if I didn't want that he said it was $7/8 for a regular phone card.

Is that all they use is a regular phone cord? I have a bunch of those here if so. I actually have one in the car I was going to practice run. I wasn't sure if you could run 12V through one of those?

TIA,

I say go for the smart cord.

**ejames7** · 06-16-2008, 10:36 PM

I kind of teeter on that then fall away. If I did the smartcord I would want to run that part to the ashtray of my car which is behind the shifter so it would take some running none the less. I don't want it to be seen seen is the key thing for me. I thought with it being up high I have close access to the MUTE and with auto-mute it will go quiet after a few secs.

I'm not sure. I don't even have my car to practice! I am using a relatives Honda van for a few days and of course the first thing I grabbed when I switched cars was the 8500!